Public Enemy is leading a new revolution in the music business as it announces a partnership with SellaBand.com to finance the recording of their next album through fan funding. The venture brings together two leading forces in independent music to take a powerful step into the future by offering artists control over their own music and giving them the ability to record without artistic or commercial constraints of traditional record companies.
Pubic Enemy is the first established act to sign up with SellaBand, which has found great success with independent artists since its European launch in 2006. SellaBand will facilitate the fan funding process for Public Enemy’s new album. The band is aiming to raise $250,000 in increments of $25.00. Fans will not only receive an exclusive, numbered copy of the album but will also share in the revenues from this upcoming recording. Hip-Hop revolutionary and Public Enemy frontman Chuck D stated,
“SellaBand’s financial engine model goes about restructuring the music business in reverse. It starts with fans first, then the artists create from there. The music business is built on searching for fans and this is a brand new way for acts to create a new album with fans first, already on board.”
Longtime champions of self-ownership of music and marketing as well as direct interaction with their fans, Public Enemy see the partnership as a natural evolution of their philosophy about the business of music. Public Enemy was one of the very first acts to release music on MP3, frontman Chuck D is a pioneer in artists rights and artist-owned record labels and his own SLAMJamz Records was launched as an Internet-based label, releasing MP3-only singles by artists as far back as 2001.
Already successful in Europe, this venture not only marks the first time SellaBand will work with a well-known act, it also signals their official entry into the US market. It reflects the company’s continued growth and dedication to fostering independent music around the globe. SellaBand CEO Johan Vosmeijer, added,
“Our goal is to empower the artist and their fans, both creatively and commercially. Working with Public Enemy is an incredibly exciting way to take the European success we’ve built over the past three years and offer it to stateside bands.”
